A first proof, and a typescript marked up with proofreaders' marks, of the back cover for the second printing of Who Speaks for the Negro? The new back cover incorporates text from reviews of the book.

This is a poster for the conference titled "We Speak for Ourselves: A Poet, a Prophet, and Voices for the 21st Century," which was hosted by the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University, April 3-4, 2008.

Dean Elkins, a graduate student at the University of Louisville, requests permission for a doctoral dissertation on Warren's work; he notes that the materials related to Who Speaks for the Negro? would make an interesting study.

Tom Rose replies to Warren about a quotation from his work to be included in Who Speaks for the Negro. Rose asks for assistance regarding the publication of his own work and mentions that Mr. Carmichael originally gave Rose's manuscript to Warren.
Related documents:
RPW to Rose Letter 8/5/64
Rose to RPW Letter 9/12/64

Tom Rose continues correspondence with Warren about a quotation from Rose's work to appear in Who Speaks for the Negro. He also follows up about where Warren might send Rose's manuscript: not to a publisher, but rather back to Rose. Rose discusses attempts to generate interest in his work and to seek publication.
Related documents:
RPW to Rose Letter 8/5/64
Rose...

In a personal letter to Warren, John Carr mentions his attendance at Warren's address on "Faulkner and the Negro," his "book on Negro leadership," and his reply in Newsweek to a reviewer, among other things.

Mike Thelwell continues his correspondence with Warren regarding Warren's participation in a hearing in Washington; Thelwell is attempting to schedule the hearing for June 8 so that Warren may attend. Thelwel names several others who have agreed, or may agree, to sit on the panel and updates Warren on the panel's support from several civil rights organizations.
Related Documents...

Mike Thelwell continues his correspondence with Warren regarding a panel that will hear testimony suggesting the need for federal support for summer projects in Mississippi. He discusses the panel date, panelists, schedule, and travel arrangements. Thelwell encloses a copy of a New York Post article by James A. Wechsler.
The correspondence was sent by special delivery rather than...

Mike Thelwell continues his correspondence with Warren and asks him to sit on a panel in New York regarding the need to continue containing violence in Mississippi. He mentions that Warren had been disappointed at his inability to sit on the earlier panel in Washington and that transcripts of that panel had been sent to Warren.
Related Documents:
Thelwell to RPW Letter 5/14/64...

Betty Garman writes to thank Warren for his recent $100 contribution to SNCC and updates him on SNCC's financial status and the current state of certain projects and of race relations in the South, in particular mentioning a strike by Mississippi workers.
A receipt for Warren's contribution is enclosed.
The envelope was redirected from Warren's address in Connecticut to...

Malcolm Willison writes on behalf of the Speakers Committee for the Capital District Friends of SNCC to inquire about Warren's interest in giving an address on the future of the civil rights movement at a fundraiser to be scheduled in Schenectady. He mentions being impressed by Warren's earlier address at Union College as well as by Who Speaks for the Negro?.

Tina Smith of SNCC invites Warren (following a telephone conversation) to participate in a Book and Author Party fundraiser featuring authors who have recently written about civil rights; they hope to have books available at the party for guests to purchase. Smith invites Warren to choose a date convenient for him.
Warren was recommended to the SNCC party planners by staff members of...

In what appears to be a draft version of a letter, Warren replies to Janice Campbell regarding a reading at which he was scheduled to present his work. Like John Updike, who had also been scheduled to attend, Warren indicates that he must withdraw due to SNCC's position on Vietnam.
Warren discusses the meaning of draft card burning and why he cannot support SNCC's stance on this...

Pattye Mapp of SNCC writes, following a telegram, in response to the news that Warren will not attend a SNCC fundraiser due to SNCC's position on Vietnam. Mapp asks Warren to reconsider, encloses SNCC's statement on Vietnam in the hope of clarifying certain issues, and asks Warren to call collect.
A manuscript note on the letter, apparently in Warren's hand, may...

Warren replies to Pattye Mapp's correspondence of February 3. Having studied the statement on Vietnam that Mapp sent, he regrets that he cannot reverse his decision not to appear at the SNCC fundraiser.
This is apparently a draft or copy of the actual correspondence.
Related Documents:
Nolan to RPW Letter 11/22/65
Campbell to RPW Letter 12/7/65
Smith to RPW Letter 1/11/66...

Notes are written in an upside-down orientation on a fragment on which the typed note "Mr. Warren, ... Mr. Carter's letter requests your bibliography and some photographs of you" appears.
The name Bill Meredith, a phone number, and another word (perhaps the name Arnold) also appear on the document; these are oriented the same way as the typed text.
The handwriting is...

Nan Talese writes to Charles Morgan to request information about newspaper ownership in Birmingham; she says the information is important for one of Warren's theses in the book. She sends personal Christmas regards.
Related Documents:
Morgan to Talese Letter 1/11/65
Talese to Morgan Letter 1/14/65
Talese to RPW letter 1/14/65

Nan Talese thanks Charles Morgan for sending information about Birmingham newspaper ownership for Warren's book. She explains that Warren intersperses information such as Morgan has sent with information from interviews. She says that Warren "is on the side of the angels."
Related Documents:
Talese to Morgan Letter 12/23/64
Morgan to Talese Letter 1/11/65...

Nan Talese writes to forward Warren information from Charles Morgan about newspaper ownership and to let him know that galleys will be coming the next day.
Related Documents:
Talese to Morgan Letter 12/23/64
Morgan to Talese Letter 1/11/65
Talese to Morgan Letter 1/14/65

Maggie Nolan writes an informal message to ask whether Warren would be interested in attending a party for SNCC to be hosted by John Updike. The party will have financial and educational goals. She hopes that Warren and James Baldwin will be able to attend as honored guests. The envelope was addressed to Warren at Yale and redirected to his home.
Related documents:...

Original materials provided by the University of Kentucky and Yale University libraries and digitized with the permission of the Warren estate. Digital archive created and designed by the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University.